5

I.—G

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Sir George Grey, X.C.8., attended the Committee, and, being duly sworn, gave evidence, which was taken down by a shorthand writer. {Vide Minutes of Evidence.) The Hon. G. 8. Whitmore was in attendance, and was duly sworn. Copies of his telegrams were handed him for inspection. He then gave evidence. {Vide Minutes of Evidence.) The Chairman withdrew, and the chair was taken by Mr. Montgomery. Resolved, That Mr. Sheehan, M.H.R., Mr. Fox, Mr. Maunsell, Mr. Mitchell, Dr. Lemon, and Mr. Maginnity be summoned to attend as witnesses at the nest meeting of the Committee. On the motion of Mr. Bowen, the Committee adjourned till 10.30 a.m. to-morrow.

Wednesday, 26th Novembee, 1879. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Bowen, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Macandrew (Chairman), Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Turnbull, Mr. Wakefield. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore attended, and wished to correct his evidence given yesterday, when he stated he believed that his telegram to Mr. H. Ingles, dated 23rd August, had been paid for. He had since ascertained that it had not been paid for. Mr. C. 0. Montrose, shorthand reporter, attended, and was enjoined to observe secrecy. Mr. J. Sheehan, M H. 8., attended and gave evidence. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) Mr. D. C. Maunsell, late Private Secretary to Colonel Whitmore, sworn and examined. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) Mr. E. Fox, late Private Secretary to Sir George Grey, sworn and examined. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) Mr. W. Mitchell, late shorthand writer to Sir George Grey, sworn and examined. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) Dr. Lemon, General Manager, Telegraph Department, attended and gave evidence. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) Mr. A. T. Maginnity, Assistant Secretary, Telegraph Department, attended and gave evidence. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) He was directed to furnish the Committee with the cost of the fifty-six telegrams sent and twenty-one received. Mr. H. D. Johnson, late Private Secretary to Mr. Sheehan, sworn and examined. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) Mr. W. Berry, Clerk in the Native Office, sworn and examined. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) The Committee then adjourned till 10.30 a.m. on Friday next, the 28th November.

Feiday, 28th Novembee, 1879. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Bowen, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Macandrew (Chairman), Mr. Montgomery, Mr Pitt, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Turnbull, Mr. Wakefield. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Sheehan, M.H.H., and Mr. Maginnity were in attendance. Mr. Maginnity produced certain originals of telegrams, and gave evidence. (Vide Minutes of Evidence.) The Committee deliberated. Resolved, on the motion of Mr. Bowen, That the Committee adjourn till 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, the 3rd December next.

Wednesday, 3ed December, 1879. The Committee met pursuant to notice. Present : Mr. Bowen, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Macandrew (Chairman), Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Turnbull, Mr. Wakefield. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Committee proceeded to consider the report. The Hon. Mr. Gisborne moved the following resolution: — That the mere fact of a private telegram being wrongly franked or sent as a public telegram does not destroy its original privacy, and that the course to be pursued in that case should be to require the person who wrongly franked or sent such telegram to pay for its transmission, in addition to a fine in respect thereof. That accordingly, in the opinion of the Committee, the production of all the telegrams in question was in violation of the law. And the question being put, the Committee divided, and the names were taken down as follow: — Ayes, 3. —Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Turnbull. Noes, 4.—Mr. Bowen, Mr. Pitt, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Wakefield. So the resolution was negatived. Mr. Montgomery moved the following resolution :— That five telegrams anions those laid on the table of the House and handed to tho Committee were forwarded by private individuals, and paid for before transmission, and were therefore produced in violation of the law.